The One: Reloaded
by Thesseli
Summary: Smith has taken over the role of the One and returned to Zion, but there are people on both sides who want the war between Man and Machine to continue. Sequel to 'One'.
1. Part One: Reborn

Part 1: Reborn  


It had been nearly a month, and Smith was still trying to adjust to his unexpected rebirth.

He and Neo had fought in the Matrix, apparently to the death. Which Neo didn't seem to have minded, based on what Smith had felt from the human in those final moments of his life. He'd copied himself into Neo, and he'd thought that he'd won. He'd thought it was all over.

Then the unthinkable had happened. They'd both died. And somehow, just as Neo's consciousness was leaving his body, he'd turned over that body to Smith.

Afterwards, Smith had been returned to Zion in the body of the One, passing in and out of consciousness until finally reaching his destination. Once there, he'd woken up feeling distinctly ill and disconnected; he'd spent a week in their infirmary while his mind and body tried to make sense of each other. Thankfully, they seemed to have come to some sort of understanding during that time...he was now able to tell his personal experiences apart from Neo's, he still felt like himself (for the most part), and his thoughts were in no way polluted by the body's previous occupant.

Mostly.

Being in this body wasn't like jacking into a human in the Matrix, and it wasn't like what he'd done to Bane. This was him, himself...although he could still access Neo's memories as easily as his own. He supposed it had something to do with the physical storage of information within the brain -- consciousness had nothing to do with what was encoded in the neurons.

He'd searched that memory he'd inherited, early on, looking for some reason why this had been done to him. He still didn't know whether this had been Neo's idea, or the mainframe's, or if it had been an opportunity they'd seized to create a new version of 'the One', with a new purpose that would satisfy each of them. The mainframe had known he'd wanted out, wanted his freedom, and he wondered if it thought it was doing him a favor by giving it to him. He could have been permanently deleted. Instead, he continued to exist, albeit in a very altered state (one which his former enemy seemed to have approved). He could move in the real world, something he'd been thinking about since his code had been altered in the fight with Neo -- he couldn't think of him as 'Mr. Anderson', not anymore -- all those months ago. It was that desire that had led to his experiment with Bane. But having part of his consciousness in a human body was very different than having its entirety there.

The mainframe had told Morpheus and the people of Zion that the One would be able to act as a bridge between man and Machine, and would help both species understand each other. Which would be much simpler, Smith believed, if he was able to bridge this gap within himself first.

He was still trying to get used to it. Everything was new to him, and it showed. There were so many things about his current situation that he found disturbing or uncomfortable, and that he found difficult to hide his reactions to; but there were certainly positive experiences as well. The most important of these was that in a human body (he couldn't bring himself to say 'as a human'), there was no way his thoughts could be intruded on, by the mainframe or anything else. No electronic eavesdropping; his thoughts were his own, private and concealed unless he cared to speak of them.

And right now, there were many things he wished to keep private.

Even though the mainframe knew his true identity, he had not told anyone in Zion who or what he was. And so far, the humans had put the differences in his behavior down to the physical and mental injuries he'd sustained in the fight. But Smith was becoming worried. By now, he'd recovered sufficiently for the doctors to deem him fit enough to go back into artificial reality...they wanted him to use some of the training programs, to help himself heal.

Smith had no doubt what his residual self-image would look like in the virtual world. Just as he had no doubt what the humans would do to him once they'd seen it.


	2. Part Two: Jump

Part 2: Jump  


"I'm worried about Neo."

Link looked up at Morpheus, and tried to act like he hadn't known. He had, of course, because everyone close to Morpheus did.

"What do you mean?" he asked neutrally, from his position at the control console.

"There is something..." Morpheus paused, considering his next words. "Different about him. Something's changed."

"Yeah, his eyes," replied Link with a snort. "That freaky blue color takes some getting used to." At Morpheus' vaguely disapproving look, he sighed. He'd hoped he could lighten the mood a little. "Look, Morpheus, the guy's been through a lot," he said. "Nobody's gonna come back from that exactly the same as they went in. Especially after losing Trinity." He shook his head sadly. "This morning, when I went to tell him the jump program was ready, I found him looking at her picture. Just staring at it. I don't even think he heard me come in, until I was standing right in front of him."

The other man's eyes narrowed slightly. "He's going to use the jump program today?"

"He's in it right now, but he didn't want anyone else going in with him. The doctors said he's OK for it, right?"

Morpheus didn't answer. His expression was noncommittal, but to Link he looked a little uncomfortable. "Is there something you're not telling me?" the operator asked. "Because if he hasn't recovered enough to go in—"

"The doctors assured me he's fine."

"So what are you worried about?"

There was another pause, while Morpheus gathered his thoughts. "I'm worried about what happened to him in the Machine city," he finally confessed. "And something did happen to him there. He's been so reluctant to go back into the Matrix, or even use any of the training programs. Ever since he came back, I can't stop wondering -- what if the Machines did something to his mind when they gave him his vision back? That would be just like them. To plant something in his subconscious to make him doubt himself, or make him less effective would be exactly what a Machine might do."

Link had to admit that he had a point. "But the doctors checked for all that after he came back," he said. "All those brain scans they did, all those examinations and tests? They didn't show any abnormalities. There was no evidence that his head had been tampered with...apart from the new set of eyes. Sure he's a little different -- hell, anyone would be, after all that. And you said yourself he was different after that other fight, remember? When it looked like he'd killed Smith the first time?"

"That was when he finally realized he was the One. That definitely changed him."

"Maybe it's the same sort of thing," Link offered. "Maybe it's all about change. Maybe he's finally realized that the war is really over, and he's got a new job to do." He shrugged. "That must be weird, going from the only person who could fight the Machines to the only person who could make peace with them."

"It can be hard to let go of the past," Morpheus agreed. "When all you're used to is fighting, peace can be even more frightening than war."

Link knew what Morpheus was referring to. From what he'd been hearing, a lot of people in Zion weren't happy with the new treaty. They didn't trust the Machines to keep their word. There was even talk of replacing some of Zion's governing council with representatives more 'in touch' with the concerns of the people.

"We don't need problems like this," Morpheus said gravely. "After all we've worked for, after all these years of struggle, we can't afford to have people like Lock pushing us into another war."

"You really think Neo can do this? Keep peace between us and the Machines?"

"I do." Morpheus had that calmness about him that he always had when discussing the One.

Link hoped the other man's faith wasn't misplaced. "It's good he's in the jump program, then," he declared.

Morpheus peered down at the console's row of monitors. He would respect Neo's wishes, of course, and not enter the program with him; but there was nothing wrong with keeping an eye on his progress with Link. "How'd he doing?" he asked. "Is he jumping?"

Link grinned and waved a hand at the readouts. "He's not just jumping, Morpheus. He's flying."


	3. Part Three: Calm

Part 3: Calm  


It was just as he'd predicted.

Standing in the antechamber of the jump program, Smith had gazed at his reflection and frowned. He may have been wearing the dark clothing and long coat that Neo had favored, but his face and form were still his own...those of the former agent of the Matrix. The only things that matched his real-world appearance were his eyes.

Which meant, of course, that he could never go back into the Matrix or any of Zion's programs unless he was alone.

He could live with that. He had no desire to die at the hands of Neo's followers, even though he wasn't entirely at ease with his new state of being. And he didn't know what disturbed him most about that state -- the fact that he was in Neo's body, or that Neo himself had felt it was a good idea. The other man's memories didn't offer any insight into why he'd felt it was a good idea, however. All they did was make things more complicated, when they should have been making them easier.

All right. Some things were easier, like the knowledge of people's names and how to do human tasks like eat and sleep, things he'd never done as a program. But imprinted on his consciousness were other, more personal slices of the other man's life.

Trinity. He missed Trinity.

He didn't even like Trinity, but he missed her.

As a former agent he could appreciate, on an intellectual level, her excellent fighting skills. But the residual memories he carried showed him what Neo felt for her, the woman who'd come with him to the Machine city, who'd been by his side almost since he'd been unplugged. And although Smith was able to separate Neo's feelings from his own, he did feel a pang of _something_ when he thought about the tall, dark-haired woman the One had loved.

Trinity. Her being gone was why Neo had so willingly given up his life. He'd felt it, too, the willingness; felt Neo's...essence, the humans would call it...pass by him, with no anger, no hatred. He'd gotten the distinct impression that Neo believed he was going to wherever Trinity had gone. And something had happened to Smith then, as they'd passed each other, although he hadn't realized it until some time later. It was only after he could think clearly once again that he could see the change in himself, the change that wasn't physical, but that was as obvious to him as the difference in his appearance.

There was a calmness in him that hadn't been there before. It wasn't the serenity or acceptance that Neo had felt, just before his death -- it was that the obsession which had consumed him for so long was gone. Neo's memories offered a very human metaphor to describe it: the calm after a storm. It was similar to how he'd felt before he'd grown to hate his entrapment in the Matrix. But he hadn't forgotten anything that had happened; now, it was as if he was looking back on those events, and himself, from a different vantage point. The madness (for that is what it was, he now knew) was gone. He was free of it. He felt some annoyance at Neo, but no hatred, not anymore. And he also felt relief, that the madness was finally over.

So now, in the program the humans once used to train their rebels, Smith was flying.

Oh, he'd started with jumps from building to building, but soon he was unable to limit himself to just that. It felt too good. He felt too good. So he flew.

"Neo?" came Morpheus' voice, through the program's link to the outside world. "I don't want to interrupt you, but I believe this is important -- the Zephyr just docked, with a message from the Oracle."

Smith paused, hanging in midair. "Yes?"

"She wishes to meet with the One."


	4. Part Four: Contact

Part 4: Contact  


Smith reentered the real world via the connection at the back of his skull, standing as soon as he was disconnected from the machinery.

Link smiled at him. "Sorry to stop you in the middle of your superman thing, but duty calls, right?"

"Right," he said agreeably, trying to sound enthused. He was actually rather apprehensive. What on Earth did the Oracle want with him? He knew what he'd wanted from her, just a month or two ago. He'd wanted her power, her abilities; and for a short while, he'd had them. He'd copied himself into her as easily as he had with all the other programs and humans he'd encountered. And now she wanted to meet with him.

That probably wasn't good.

"Oh, and she sent you a personal message, too."

Smith corrected himself. That definitely wasn't good.

"Don't look so worried, Neo. She just wanted to give us the heads-up on things topside. Nothing bad, but...well, I think you'd better see for yourself."

One of Smith's eyebrows raised a fraction of an inch. "What did she say, exactly?"

In response, Link handed him a piece of paper with the transcribed words of the Oracle.

The former agent scanned it, noting the rather impersonal form of address (the message was for 'the One', not for Neo -- and thankfully not for Smith) along with some brief details regarding the time and place of the meeting. However, the lines below these were what caught his eye.

"What's this?" he asked skeptically, staring down at the words. "The Machines have assigned me a team of bodyguards for whenever I go into the Matrix?"

"They're not bodyguards," said Morpheus, looking slightly uncomfortable. "They're a security team. Three programs..."

"Three agents," he finished, his expression matching the other man's. He was more than a little annoyed. With all his experience as an agent himself, plus the abilities he'd inherited from Neo, he certainly didn't need any bodyguards...

"Keep going," Link prompted.

"I know what you're thinking," Smith read aloud. Of course she does, she's the Oracle, he thought to himself. "But don't turn them down. Think of them as another gift from the mainframe."

"Some gift," muttered the operator. "Your first time back on the inside, and they don't even trust us humans to watch your back."

Smith read the rest of the message in silence. Its meaning was clear: the Oracle wanted to talk to him, alone and in person. That meant going back into the Matrix, and being seen as who he really was.

Morpheus put a hand on his shoulder. "Go get something to eat, then pack your bag. We'll be leaving in a few hours."

Smith nodded mutely, then sighed. Just when he thought this was getting easier...


	5. Part Five: Agents

Part 5: Agents  


"It's for your own protection," Smith explained patiently, logically. "These agents are supposed to see to my safety, but they're not guaranteed to protect other humans. The danger is simply too great."

His exceptionally rational line of reasoning was met by multiple expressions of disbelief.

"Neo, how can you even think of going back in alone?" asked Link. "Even with all the assurances from the mainframe—"

"Until we know more, I don't want anyone else coming in. It's too risky," he said, hoping that none of his crewmates would press the issue. But they were still looking at him as if he was insane to even suggest going into the Matrix without them. It was frustrating. What was the use of being the One, if Neo's followers wouldn't listen to him?

Perhaps logic wasn't the key here. He'd learned that with humans, it often wasn't. He would try a more human tactic. "The Oracle did say to come alone," he pointed out.

That got their attention. There was some grumbling from the group, but there was really no arguing with that. And now that they were at broadcast depth, it was time for the One to re-enter the Matrix. With or without backup.

"You'll be monitoring me the whole time," Smith added, leaning back in the chair and preparing himself for connection. "You'll be able to warn me if you see anything coming, so don't worry." He paused. "I trust you."

Link nodded tersely. "Good luck, Neo," he said, but he still looked uneasy. So did the others, who also wished him luck, but Morpheus was silent. He just smiled that knowing smile of his...

...and then the real world faded away.

Smith blinked, and found himself on a virtual streetcorner inside of a virtual world. He was finally back inside.

He looked around. There weren't many people in the vicinity, and those who were didn't seem to have noticed his sudden arrival, at a payphone in front of a shop window. A quick check of his reflection in the glass confirmed that his appearance was the same as in the jump program. Agent Smith, in black clothes and a long black coat.

After making sure his gun was easily within reach, he flipped open his cell phone. "I'm in," he announced to the waiting crew.

"Are you all right, Neo?" asked Morpheus. "Your voice sounds a little...strained."

He winced. His voice was the hardest thing to disguise -- even if the people outside couldn't see what he looked like, they could still hear him, and he still sounded like himself. "I'm trying to remain inconspicuous," he said in a softer tone. "Well, as inconspicuous as someone dressed like me can be."

He heard a chuckle from the other end of the line. "We'll be tracking you," said Link. "You have an exit right there, at that payphone. If anything happens and you need another one, just yell."

He smiled. "I will."

And then he was on his own.

Smith looked around again, orienting himself. He and the agents were to meet at 11 AM local time at the designated coordinates, which happened to be within a public park -- a neutral location for all involved.

He started walking. It was actually rather pleasant to be in such normal surroundings, even though he knew they had no physical reality. It was a cool, crisp, sunny morning, but he resisted the urge to take to the air. He wanted to be inconspicuous, after all. No use giving the mainframe another reason to think he needed babysitting.

He shook his head at his continued usage of human metaphors, wondering which agents would be assigned to him. He wasn't particularly enthused about meeting them; his status as an agent-turned-virus would have made him very unpopular among system personnel. And he had no idea what they would think of his current state. But there was a brief flash of hope within him that perhaps Jones and Brown would be among them...although he didn't even know if they were still alive. Maybe they hadn't been deleted after all -- maybe they'd become exiles, or even stayed agents. (Even though they hadn't been able to help him in that first battle with Neo, which by now he had forgiven them for.) Their presence at the back of his mind had always been rather reassuring, prior to his disconnection from the system. Or perhaps the team would be made up of agents with a score to settle. It wasn't unheard of; even AI's could develop personal vendettas. Smith himself was the most obvious example of this, although it was far more common among the exiles. Hate, love, the desire for revenge...all could arise in his species, although perhaps not to the degree they did in humans.

Smith sat down heavily on a park bench, across from a fountain, feeling very exposed. Before, all he'd worried about was the possibility of humans wanting to shoot him. Now he realized that there might be agents shooting at him as well. And he wasn't looking forward to this visit with the Oracle. Maybe she would want to shoot him too.

With that thought in his mind, he almost missed the slight tingling at the base of his skull. It was a strange, prickling sensation that he couldn't identify – he'd never experienced anything quite like it, as man or machine -- until he finally realized that the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up.

Agents.

Surprised at his ability to sense them, he turned in the direction he knew they'd be coming from. A few seconds later, he saw them...and was surprised again.

All three of them were female.

As they approached, he could see that all were wearing the typical sunglasses and grayish-green suits of system agents, but modified for the female form -- no ties, a different cut of the jacket and trousers, and high-necked white shirts. But they were obviously agents. He could see the outline of a gun at one's waist, and all three moved in that efficient, coordinated, deliberate manner he remembered so well.

The three moved to surround the bench, standing in a semicircle in front of him. Smith gazed up at them impassively. If they were trying to intimidate him, it wasn't going to work.

"I am Agent Collins," said the one in the middle. She was average height, with light brown hair, and was clearly the team leader. "This is Agent Chapman," she indicated the tall, fair-haired agent to her right, "and this is Agent Evans." This one was shorter, with hair that was almost black. "We are to take you to the Oracle."


	6. Part Six: Green

Part 6: Green

"They're there," Link announced, reading the falling lines of code as easily as most people read words on a page.

"What are they doing?" asked Kid eagerly, leaning over the console to get a better look. Everyone else held back, so as not to get in the way, but all of them wanted to see.

"Not a whole lot," he said. "Damn, I wish we could listen in..."

Smith and the agents continued looking each other up and down until Collins spoke again. "While you are within the Matrix, you will follow our instructions regarding security," she proclaimed. "Do not argue, do not question; your life may depend on your compliance." She tapped something on her earpiece; probably sending a message to the system that they'd made contact. Then she turned her attention back to him. "Come with us. We have provided transportation."

He smiled. "Well, I'm glad we won't have to walk all the way to the Oracle's -- this place is so out of the way that we probably wouldn't get there until tomorrow."

Collins didn't reply. She probably thought he was serious.

He shook his head, then got up and followed the agents. They led him through the park, along one of the many paths that cut through the greenery, all without another word or even acknowledging his presence.

"I wasn't expecting three female agents," he said, unable to think of anything else to say to them. Agents weren't much for small talk, but he had to do something to break the monotony.

"The mainframe felt we would be perceived as 'less threatening'," Agent Collins said blandly, although one eyebrow was arched. Smith was about to question this, as female agents (though fewer in number) were no less deadly than males, and anyone familiar with system agents would know that. Certainly the rebels and people of Zion would. But she seemed to have anticipated his response. "Less threatening," she continued, "given the intensity of your reaction -- your negative reaction -- to Agent Thompson, after your disconnection and exile."

Oh. Not less threatening to the humans...less threatening to him.

Smith thought back to his encounter with the other program. Yes, he'd taken malicious pleasure in besting the other agent, an upgrade supposedly superior to him. Even as a virus, he was superior, and there was no way he would let such an insult go unanswered. Gray hadn't been sent after him specifically, but Smith had used him as an object lesson to the rest that he was not to be trifled with. And now the mainframe didn't want him reminded of that incident, in case he would be compelled to repeat it.

A sudden stab of irritation went through him. Did the mainframe really think he would be influenced by such a thing, the way he was now? Maybe it did. Maybe it had pawned him off to the humans in Zion because of the possibility he was still unstable. And Collins' words annoyed him even more. He didn't want to be told what to do by agents who'd probably just come online...after all, they would have been his subordinates, under different circumstances. And now he was the One, chosen by both Neo and the mainframe, which should definitely count for something!

Smith's eyes narrowed. He knew that in here, he looked like what he used to be -- a dangerous agent and an even more dangerous virus -- and he decided to use that to his advantage. Neo's memories even told him which 'look' was the most menacing. Perhaps a healthy dose of intimidation would put things right.

He turned on his best glower. "Don't you know who I am? Who I was?" he asked, his voice a low growl.

It didn't seem to affect them. "You are the One," said Collins. She extended her hand to him, just as they reached the car. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

So much for intimidation.


	7. Part Seven: Code

Part 7: Code  


"As your security team," said Collins, sliding behind the wheel of the Audi, "we must inform you that most people in the Matrix will not know who you are."

"When you say people, do you mean humans or AI's?" Smith asked. He was sitting next to her, with Evans and Chapman in the back. These two had their hands on their guns and were peering through the tinted windows as if they were expecting trouble. If it was coming, he hoped it wouldn't be too soon.

"Both," Collins replied, as they pulled away from the curb. "Just because the mainframe knows your true nature does not mean its resident programs will, and humans in here will not recognize you as the One." She spared a glance at him before returning her attention to the road. "To some, you are the leader of the rebels, who has somehow convinced the mainframe to call an ill-advised and unwelcome truce. Others will see you as the virus that nearly destroyed them."

"And what do you see me as?" he asked, watching the scenery roll by.

Collins didn't respond immediately. "You are to be protected," she said, after a moment.

Smith frowned. "You didn't answer my question."

The agent's expression didn't change, but Smith had enough experience with other programs to tell that she was seriously considering her answer. "You are Smith," she finally said. "A former system agent, whose code exchanged elements with that of the human once known as Thomas Anderson, and whose upgraded code now resides within that human's physical body."

"That wasn't what I asked," he pressed, trying to get an idea of how far he could trust his 'bodyguards'. "Do you consider me to be a human, an agent, or a virus?"

"You are none of those things," she asserted. "Although your nature clearly contains elements of each, your frame of reference is not limited to any one of them. Which is why you are the One," she finished. "You are unique."

That sounded a bit more positive. Mostly. "How is it clear that I have aspects of all three?"

"It is obvious," said Chapman. Evans nodded in agreement, but Smith still didn't know what they were referring to. He looked at the team leader questioningly.

Collins raised an eyebrow once again. "Your appearance is somewhat...different than we'd expected."

He blinked, nonplussed. "Did you think I would look like Neo in here?"

"No."

"Well, my code has changed since my last time in the Matrix; you said that yourself."

"Agent Collins was not speaking of your code," Evans replied helpfully. "She means that, had we not been aware of your previous status as a system agent, it would be difficult to watch you for any length of time and believe you were ever anything but human."

Smith wasn't quite sure how to take that. He didn't think it was meant as a compliment. He wasn't offended, though...he was well aware that agents weren't the most diplomatic AI's in existence. But it was a surprise. To himself, he looked just as he had before -- maybe his hair was a bit different (slightly longer and lighter, perhaps), but he hadn't realized until now what must have been glaringly obvious to the agents.

He no longer moved like a machine. That's what they were trying to say, and also that anyone watching him would be able to see it too.

"You think I look human?" he asked.

Collins looked faintly pleased. "Yes."

"That's a relief -- I've been worried that it was obvious I wasn't Neo."

"You have not been truthful with the humans concerning your identity?" she asked.

"No," he admitted.

"If you do not wish for others to learn of your deception, I suggest you take more care in your movements here in the Matrix," she cautioned. "The humans would be quite surprised to see their leader appear in the guise of the agent who'd sworn to kill him."

"I'd already worked that out," he replied dryly. "But thank you for your concern."

"You're welcome," she said, as they pulled up in front of the Oracle's apartment building. She switched off the motor, then turned to Smith. "We're here."


	8. Part Eight: Climb

Part 8: Climb  


Smith ascended the steps slowly, in the midst of his small group of agents. He was nervous. The Oracle's message had told him nothing of what was to be discussed today, or even why she wanted to see him -- but given their last encounter, he doubted it was a social call. Still, he knew that prolonging the inevitable would only make it worse.

Go up there and get it over with.

Collins was ahead of him on the stairs, her hand just over her gun. She was taking no chances...even if this was the abode of the Oracle. Smith wondered if she'd received information from the mainframe or from some other agent about a potential problem today. He was about to ask her what she knew when she shook her head, pressing a finger to her lips. "Someone is up there," she said softly.

Something passed between her and the others, and for a moment Smith envied the instantaneous communication the earpieces provided. Evans moved out to flank them, and Chapman stayed at the back to cover them from behind. Smith had retained most of his agent abilities, and was able to move just as quickly and quietly as they did.

As they reached the top of the steps, Collins looked to him, then to the other agents and nodded. She went first, around the corner and into the hall that led to the Oracle, with the others close behind.

"Smith," said a very familiar voice from down the corridor. "You are as punctual as ever."

"Seraph," he replied neutrally. The guardian program was waiting for them. He'd known they were coming, of course. "We're here to see the Oracle."

"I know," he said, with a slight smile. "But there is something that must be done first, as you are well aware."

With that pronouncement, the AI bowed, then went into fighting stance.

Smith's eyes narrowed skeptically. He knew those who came to the Oracle were often tested (even Neo had gone through it) and that Seraph believed he could never really know someone without fighting them. But they'd been summoned by the Oracle herself. And he had already fought Seraph, a long time ago. What was the purpose of this?

He supposed it didn't matter. If he had to prove himself, he would; and he copied the position the guardian had assumed.

Seraph raised his hand. "Not you," he said, then glanced at Agent Collins. "Her."

Smith blinked in surprise, but stepped back just as the team leader moved forward. From this close, he could see behind her sunglasses...and it was the first time he'd seen anything in her brown eyes other than the impassive, detached look she'd had since their first meeting. There was a spark of something there that looked suspiciously like anticipation.

Collins assumed the 'ready' position, while Evans and Chapman watched attentively. Smith was also curious as to the abilities of these new agents. This would be interesting, to say the least.

It was only a brief exercise, a sparring match really, but it evidently was enough to tell Seraph what he wanted to know. It was also enough for Smith to see that there was absolutely nothing second-rate about his new security team. Collins' style of fighting was similar to that of most agents, but with a few less-typical moves thrown in. Her lower center of gravity changed her leverage from that of a male agent, but the same amount of power channeled through a smaller area increased the relative force of her punches and kicks. (The old 'snowshoe' analogy, Neo's memories told him.) She also used response tactics different than those favored by his former team. An incoming blow could be dodged, deflected, absorbed (not the most preferable option, as it required taking it full force), or prevented; and Collins used prevention as a strategy frequently. She would grab on and hold, or interfere with her opponent's positioning for a move, or not let him build enough momentum to carry one through. She was certainly more inventive than Thompson.

Seraph stepped back and bowed, indicating that the match was over. Collins also bowed, then resumed her place with Smith and the others.

"You looked like you were really enjoying yourself there," observed Smith, as she flicked her hair back into place.

"It was pleasant," she agreed. "And quite refreshing."

Seraph smiled at her. "You were holding back," he accused mildly.

The agent looked thoughtful. "I did not wish to cause any property damage."

Seraph appeared to accept this, and ushered them into the apartment.

Smith knew the Oracle usually preferred conducting business in her kitchen, so he wasn't surprised when he saw that was where the other program was leading them. He was startled, however, at the sight that greeted him once they were inside.

Sati was there.

The little girl was playing happily, skipping across the living room when they came in. She stopped when she saw Smith, then rushed to hide behind Seraph, peeking out from behind him. Her eyes were huge.

Smith guiltily remembered the last words he'd said to her..."I'm not so bad, once you get to know me." She was terrified. And then he'd copied himself into her. Neo's memories showed him how truly unpleasant this was -- it was like dying, Neo had said. And he was right.

Smith was overcome by something he once would have believed impossible for him to feel. He was ashamed.

By now, the girl seemed to have gathered enough courage to come out from behind Seraph. Cautiously, she went up to Smith, never taking her eyes off him. "Hello."

"Hello, Sati," he said. For an instant he thought about dropping down to her level, but that would probably only remind her of their last meeting, and he didn't want to frighten her any more. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine," she replied, looking down for a moment and swinging her foot in front of her, just as a shy human child might.

"I'm very sorry I scared you before." He hoped she could tell he meant it.

"I know." Sati looked up at him with her big brown eyes. "The Oracle said you were sick then, but you're not anymore. She says you're OK now."

He smiled, a nice smile this time. "I certainly hope so."

Sati smiled back. Smith was glad; maybe this child still had enough innocence to forgive him. It was odd to think of an AI as innocent, but it was an accurate description. Neo had been surprised at her existence, and even more surprised that her parents had feelings for her...they weren't extraordinarily advanced AI's, yet they had still developed strong emotions. He'd known all about the Merovingian's desire for power, but he hadn't expected these programs to say they loved their daughter.

He also wasn't quite sure exactly how two programs reproduced.

Meanwhile, Collins was looking at Sati with obvious curiosity. "You are a program," she stated, and the little girl nodded. "What is your purpose?"

"I don't have one."

Collins just looked perplexed, but before she could ask anything else, the door to the kitchen opened.

The Oracle had arrived.


	9. Part Nine: Sight

Part 9: Sight  


Smith immediately straightened up, his spine ramrod straight and his jaw set. The Oracle looked as unassuming as ever, but that didn't make her any less imposing. So he stood at attention, his eyes forward, and prepared himself to endure whatever she might say or do.

"Well, let me take a look at you," she said casually, reaching up and removing his sunglasses, then turning him around so she could see him from all sides. His eyebrows shot up at the unexpected touch.

"Mm," she murmured approvingly, tucking the glasses into his coat pocket and stepping back once she'd finished. "Very good. You've done very well for yourself." Then she smiled at the others. "Why don't the rest of you take off your glasses too? It's nice to be able to really look at people, when they visit."

The agents complied with her request. As Smith had seen before, Collins' eyes were brown; the others' were blue, with Evans' nearly gray and Chapman's the color of the sky. Smith guessed that they didn't care if their eyes were exposed or not; they weren't about to give anything away, not like a human might.

"Good. Now Sati, will you take the cookies out of the oven, please?"

The girl, delighted, bounded into the kitchen. By the time the others had followed her in, she was already placing the tray of freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies on the table.

Collins took one without hesitation. When Evans and Chapman saw their team leader do it, they did too, and Smith was reminded again of his relationship with Brown and Jones.

"Since when do agents eat?" he asked her, feeling considerably more relaxed now that the Oracle's inspection was over.

"It is to emulate human behavior," she assured him. He wasn't sure if he believed that, because they smelled absolutely wonderful. It only reminded him that he was hungry (and that he'd never been hungry in the Matrix before). He didn't need Neo's memories to tell him that the food in Zion was lousy, and that this would probably be the best thing he got all week.

He took two of them.

"Now," the Oracle said to him, once everyone had arranged themselves at the table. "I know you must have a lot of questions for me. Go ahead and ask the one you've been dying to."

"Well, the most obvious question is why," Smith replied. He gestured at himself. "Why did this happen? Why did Neo do this to me?"

The Oracle regarded him evenly. "You already know the answer to that."

"No. I don't."

"You do. You just don't know that you know. And so does Agent Collins...don't you, dear?"

The agent in question went completely still. She seemed somewhat startled at being addressed directly by the Oracle, or perhaps she was taken aback at being included in the conversation that was supposed to be all about the One.

The Oracle smiled kindly at her. "Tell us about your team -- what you and your partners do."

The agent's eyes darted to Evans and Chapman, and then briefly to Smith; the question had evidently taken her off-guard. "We are investigation and security operatives, assigned to protect the One," she replied. "Agent Evans is primarily an information and intelligence gatherer, and Chapman is the combat and evasion operative."

"She covers your tracks?"

"She sees to it that our movements are nearly impossible to trace, unless we wish them to be."

"And that makes you the team leader. You integrate all the information and figure out the best way to use it." The Oracle smiled at her again. "So tell me, Agent Collins, what did you do before you got this assignment? Your code's a little different than theirs, I see."

Collins nodded. "I was upgraded," she said smugly. She looked pointedly at Smith, and he could swear he saw a gleam in her eyes almost like the one she'd had during the sparring match. "I was an antivirus."

"So you were one of the programs the mainframe would've sent out against Smith, if Neo hadn't turned up?" she asked. The agent nodded again, and the Oracle chuckled. "And now you're in charge of looking after him."

Again, that same smug expression from Collins, as if she found their changes in status ironic, or amusing. "Yes."

"Seraph says that Smith didn't need an antivirus, he needed an exorcist," Sati said blithely, and stuffed another cookie into her mouth.

The guardian program had the grace to look properly embarrassed, while the corner of Collins' mouth twitched up, just for an instant. This time Smith could actually see the amusement on her face, and he turned the same scowl on her that he'd used in the park. "You were an antivirus?"

"Yes," she pronounced, sounding as self-righteous as a system agent could.

"And as an antivirus," the Oracle interrupted, "Agent Collins has special insight into your question." She gazed benevolently at both her and Smith. "Why was former Agent Smith classified as a virus?"

"His ability to replicate himself, to take over other programs. His disruption of normal system function. His damaged code—"

"Damaged how?"

"Parts of Agent Smith's code were replaced by that of Thomas Anderson...Neo," she corrected herself. "But these new segments had not integrated into him properly. These new elements interfered with his cognitive functions...they had been implanted in areas with increasing activity levels, relative to other areas of his code."

Smith looked at her, puzzled. Areas with increasing activity levels?

He thought back to the events leading up to the confrontation and exchange of code. Since Anderson had been contacted by Morpheus, he'd been an almost-constant thorn in Smith's side, which had only added to his discontent with his existence in the Matrix. And that discontent had been steadily increasing...

"You're talking about emotions," he said in realization.

"Emotions," the Oracle agreed. "Yours were already developing, becoming deeper -- you were far enough along to know you hated living in what you considered a cage, even though you weren't fully aware of the cycles of the Matrix and Zion at the time -- and then Neo showed up, at exactly the wrong time." She shook her head. "Those parts of you that were developing, evolving...they needed to grow, and they pulled in the new code like tree roots pull in water."

"I didn't do it consciously," he said, looking down at his hands.

"I know you didn't, son. But being born is never easy, or painless. Evolving to the next level is the same."

He looked up. "Evolving?"

She nodded. "Near the end of his life, Neo came to realize what he'd done to you...and what you'd done to him, incidentally," she said. "Your code found its way into the part of his brain with increasing activity -- the part that could manipulate the Matrix. He couldn't have stopped those sentinels in the real world without your code in him, or made his way to the Machine city without it. He couldn't have been the One without it. You can't be the One, unless you contain elements of both man and Machine. Neo figured that out, at the end."

Smith was still trying to absorb all this. "But he knew he was dying."

"And he knew that the people of Zion needed the One. It didn't necessarily have to be him."

Evolving. He was evolving. "So he did this to me..."

"...because he had a part of you in him, just as you had a part of him...that was your true connection to each other. You were the only other person who was like him -- part human, part Machine. You were the only one who could take his place," she finished. "And also because he wanted to make up for what he did to you. For hurting you."

"I find that hard to believe," he murmured, but he actually did believe it. It was exactly the sort of thing Neo might do. How guilty had Neo felt, to strike this deal with the mainframe that had not only repaired Smith's code, but allowed him to live as a human? As the One?

"You'd be surprised how clearly you can see, right before you die," the Oracle mused. "And speaking of seeing things clearly..."

"Yes?"

"I can see that you've been holding yourself back. With the humans, I mean," she told him. "You haven't allowed yourself to get close to them."

"Given what I was, getting close to other...people...isn't easy for me."

"I know how difficult it is when an agent is cut off from the rest of the system," she replied. "It's lonely. That was one of the good things about having all those copies of yourself, wasn't it...you weren't alone anymore." She continued looking at him with those penetrating eyes, and he shifted uncomfortably. "You enjoyed the companionship, didn't you?"

"Why do you ask questions that you already know the answer to?" he countered, but there was no malice in his voice.

"You can have something like that again, you know," she replied, ignoring his comment. "Oh, it won't be like the company of other agents, since you won't have a mental connection to them -- which I know you won't particularly mind -- but at the same time it could be pleasant, with the right people."

"You want me to socialize more. With the humans," he said dubiously.

"Very good. See, you're learning more about yourself and what you should be doing to make your new life easier."

He let out a short bark of laughter, and his next words were dripping with sarcasm. "Are you suggesting I invite a few friends into the jump program with me, so I can take them flying?"

The Oracle leaned across the table towards him. "Why not?" she challenged.

Smith hadn't expected that answer, and he turned away slightly, frowning and resting his chin in his hand silently.

"You don't want anyone to see your face," she said sympathetically. "That's a shame. No-one should have to hide who they are." Smith still didn't say anything. "But don't worry. You won't have to hide any more, at least with some of the humans. You won't need to pretend you're someone you're not."

Smith's eyes widened, and he turned back towards the Oracle. "Why?" he asked warily.

"There are things we need to discuss, things that concern the future of the Matrix and everyone in it. Things that could bring the world crashing down on us, or keep it from ever changing from the way it is now. Things that will affect everyone, whether they're in the Matrix or the real world," she stated. "And by discussion, I don't mean just between us in this room...we need more people on our side. Like I said to Neo, we can't do it alone -- it's got to be all of us, together, human and Machine. We need allies."

Smith stared at her in alarm. "What exactly are you saying?"

"What I'm saying," she replied evenly, "is that I've sent a message to your ship. I've asked Morpheus to join us here today."


	10. Part Ten: Choice

Part 10: Choice  


"Morpheus?" he sputtered, staring at her as if she was insane.

"He's got to find out sometime," she said with a shrug. "I figured that now would be best."

"But he'll kill me—"

"Son, he has to know who you really are if we're to stand any chance against the people who oppose the treaty. I contacted him once you were back in the Matrix...he's been worried about you, you know."

"He's been worried about Neo, not me."

"Is this why you requested that we signal you when we met Smith?" Collins interrupted. The normally imperturbable agent looked almost shocked. "You have compromised our security arrangements."

"What did you tell him?" Smith demanded.

"Only the basics," she replied. "Morpheus sent me a message a few weeks after you arrived in Zion. You were already back on your feet, and the doctors there said you were recovering normally, but he knew that something was different. He asked me if Neo was really OK."

"And what did you say?"

"I told him that Neo was dead," she said flatly. "Oh, he didn't believe me at first, when I told him that Neo had died in the Machine city. He said that didn't make sense, and asked how Neo could be in Zion if he was dead. I said it wasn't actually Neo who was there." She lit a cigarette. "I also told him that the man who'd been sent back to them wanted this treaty to work just as much as Neo had."

Smith didn't bother raising any of his typical objections about her presumptions; he was more focused on getting away before Morpheus arrived. He turned to Collins. "What's the quickest way out of here?"

"Son, Morpheus was worried the Machines had done something to Neo's mind. I couldn't lie to him. I had to tell him that it wasn't Neo's mind in there at all."

"But did you tell him it was me?"

Just then, there was a knock on the outside door.

Seraph glanced at the Oracle; she nodded to him, then he and Sati got up to admit their new guest. Smith could hear well enough to tell that it was indeed Morpheus who was greeting the two AI's in the living room.

"Dammit," Smith grimaced, turning and facing away from the kitchen door as it opened -- a pointless action, he knew, but he wanted to delay this meeting until the last possible moment.

"Morpheus," the Oracle said warmly, getting up and going over to him. "It's good to see you again."

"It's nice to see you too," he replied, stepping into the kitchen and removing his sunglasses. Once they were off, his gaze shifted to the three women in olive-drab suits. His eyes narrowed and grew colder; his past experience with Matrix agents made his distrust even more obvious, whether they were supposed to be on his side or not.

Then he saw Smith, and stopped dead in his tracks.

"What is this?" he gasped.

"This is the One, Morpheus," the Oracle replied.

"That's Smith!"

"This is the man that came back from the Machine city, to help you," she explained patiently.

"That isn't a man," he said, his voice deadly soft. "It's a program. An agent. A virus that almost wiped out both our worlds."

She shook her head. "This isn't the agent you knew, Morpheus. He's something very different now..."

Morpheus wasn't listening. In one quick movement he was across the table, pulling his gun and training it on Smith. Immediately the agents had their firearms out and aimed at Morpheus, who moved to stand behind Smith's chair, using him as a shield.

He shoved the barrel of the weapon into the back of Smith's skull.

"I'll blow his head off, you know I will—" he threatened, tightening his grip around Smith's neck.

"You would not survive," Collins warned. But Smith had seen the look on his face, just before he'd leapt, and he knew Morpheus would willingly sacrifice himself if it meant he could kill the agent who'd interrogated him...

"I knew Neo's code looked different. But it was so familiar." He continued leveling the gun at Smith's head. "I can't believe this monster has been living with us for the past month—"

"Morpheus...you said yourself that it can be hard to let go of the past, and that peace can sometimes be more frightening than war. You know how important it is for this treaty to work, and for all of us to work together. You have to let go of the past," urged the Oracle. Smith could see genuine fear in her eyes; how could she not have foreseen this?

"But this is Smith," Morpheus said -- it was the explanation, the reason, and the defense for all he was doing.

"This isn't the same person who was the agent, and this isn't the same person who was the virus," she asserted. "His code has changed because he's changed."

"Changed?" he repeated skeptically.

"Yes -- it started when he and Neo exchanged code, but it continued past that..."

"Exchanged code? What are you talking about?"

"When Neo and Smith fought, and it looked like Smith had been destroyed...Neo was different after that. Even you noticed it."

"That was because he'd accepted that he was the One."

"Yes, but there was something else. Something happened to both of them during the fight. The two of them merged for a brief instant; and when they separated, they each came out with a piece of the other inside them."

Morpheus shook his head in either disbelief or disgust. "I don't believe you."

"Neo sounded different after that, didn't he...he didn't let his emotions show like he used to. And Smith sounded different, too -- he lost that slow, mechanical speech he'd had and started to sound more like a human being."

Morpheus looked appalled at the Oracle's claims, that Neo had been carrying around agent code in his mind, and that this agent, this virus had part of the One inside him. He glanced briefly, angrily at his captive. "You're shaking, Smith. You're breathing faster and your heart's pounding," he hissed. "Did you learn that from impersonating one of us? Or are you really human now? Will you leave a corpse when you die, like a human being would, or will you shatter into a million pieces like you did before?" Morpheus shook him. "Answer me!"

"I...I don't know," he wheezed, trying to will his body into remembering that it didn't need oxygen in the Matrix. It wasn't working. His heart was still hammering in his chest, and the agents looked like they were losing the battle with their programming that was telling them to shoot. He looked up at the Oracle desperately, and Morpheus shook him again.

"What do you have to say for yourself? Why did you do this to us?"

"I didn't do it..." His head was spinning; Morpheus was going to choke the life out of him and then he would be dead, and Neo's plan would fail, and the humans and Machines would keep fighting until the very end of the world. "It was Neo," he managed to choke out. "Neo did it."

"What?"

"It's true, Morpheus," said the Oracle. "Neo's mission was over; he'd fulfilled his purpose and he was done. He wanted to go. But he knew there was still work to be done." She gazed at him, her eyes almost pleading that he would understand. "Neo wanted this. He wanted to pass this on to Smith -- and it was possible only because the machine had a bit of the man in him, just as the man had a bit of the machine. Neo made a deal with the mainframe to let him do this, and at the same time end the war."

"Neo gave him his blessing," said Seraph quietly, who'd reappeared at the kitchen doorway. "You know I have no love for Smith, but the Oracle speaks the truth. Just as she always has. Neo chose Smith; he is the One."

"And you know what the One is supposed to do now, don't you," said the Oracle. "The One is meant to bring the Machines and the humans together. He does that, every time he takes a breath." She glanced at Smith. "You might want to let him do that again, Morpheus. Take a breath, I mean."

The rebel scowled, but loosened his hold on Smith's neck. The former agent gasped and breathed in deeply, trying to fill his lungs before he lost consciousness.

"It all comes down to choice, doesn't it," she mused. "Neo chose Smith to be the One. Smith chose to accept what Neo gave him, and he chose to carry on with the plan Neo bargained with the mainframe for. Smith chose to trust you, and Link, and the others on your ship. And none of those choices were easy." She gazed at him pointedly. "So, Morpheus...what will your choice be?"

For Smith, there was an agonizing pause while the man with the gun at his head considered his decision. It probably lasted no more than a few seconds, but the former agent would have sworn that time had slowed down while he waited for the answer.

"You control these agents?" growled Morpheus, indicating the three women with their guns trained on him.

"I don't control anyone, they're assigned to me," said Smith. "Collins is in charge of them."

The team leader cocked her head. "You wish to discuss options concerning the outcome of our situation?"

He nodded tersely. "If I let him go," he began, "what will you do to me?"

Collins' eyes narrowed dangerously. "Whatever the One wants me to do to you."

"You won't shoot him, Collins, or hurt him in any other way if he lets me go," Smith answered, hoping her programming included taking direction from the one she was meant to protect...or at least that Morpheus would believe that it did.

Something passed between her and the other two agents. "We accept these terms," she replied, once the silent conference between them had ended.

"Thank goodness for that," said the Oracle. "Now everyone, please put your guns away. We do have a child living here, after all."

With one final glower, all four combatants holstered their weapons. Morpheus released his hold on Smith, who slumped back in his chair in relief. The Oracle regarded the two of them briefly, then pulled out a chair for Morpheus, who sat down warily next to his former captive.

"Now that everything's settled, we can sit down and talk like civilized people," she pronounced. "We can finally get down to business."

"Business?" Morpheus asked, still staring uneasily at Smith.

"We need to discuss the implementation of some of our long-term plans, and I thought that meeting here, on neutral territory, would help us get the ball rolling," she said. "The futility of two intelligent species being constantly at war has been realized. We can no longer exist in such a state. Even the Architect agrees."

Smith looked at her dourly, rubbing his throat. "How is dad, anyway?"

"Adamant that Neo's plan succeed, actually. Oh, he needed some convincing in the beginning, but I finally got him on the right track."

So this was a joint effort, Smith thought to himself. After all these years, the Oracle must have finally talked some sense into the mainframe's avatar.

"The mainframe has agreed that anyone who wants to be freed will be, with no opposition from the Machine world...but not everyone is ready to be unplugged," she continued. "And more importantly, the real world simply cannot support so many people if they were all returned to it at once. Our scientists have determined that the skies must be cleared before life can return to the surface; there would be mass starvation otherwise."

Smith and Morpheus glanced at each other, as if to gauge each others' reaction to the statement. Both knew that the Oracle was right -- most people couldn't take the sudden change, the realization that their world was nothing more than a digital construct, or that the real world was nearly dead.

"An ecosystem with a single species is not a viable one," put in Collins. "Even if the sky is cleared, how could the humans survive long-term on the surface?"

The Oracle smiled at her. "They didn't include any information on the gene bank in your data files, I see."

She raised an eyebrow curiously. "Gene bank?" she asked.

"I've never heard of it either," said Smith. He turned to Morpheus. "Have you?" The other man shook his head.

"Not many people know about it," the Oracle replied. "It was the early Machines' little secret, their plan for rebuilding once they realized what the scorching of the sky would do to species other than their own -- the humans had condemned the world and all its lifeforms to death, through the collapse of the food chain," she sighed. "So they created a gene bank, with genetic samples from species they deemed important to Earth's biosphere. They saved animals, plants, everything that would allow the surface to eventually be re-seeded. They felt they were superior to humans, because they would not allow their world to die...they were better than that, and they would be the world's saviors."

"So all they're waiting for are the skies to clear, and then they'll release life back onto the surface?" asked Smith.

The Oracle nodded. "Then the main problem is clearing the sky," Morpheus said.

"Yes. There are a few recently-unplugged human scientists that their AI counterparts would like to meet with, as well as anyone else the humans have that might be of help restoring the biosphere. They want life and atmospheric science specialists, and they want the One to be there. In an administrative position, of course."

"That sounds reasonable," said Smith.

"Not to everyone," she replied solemnly. "Unfortunately, there are a lot of people -- and not necessarily just programs -- that don't want the status quo to change. They don't want to lose their power, and they want to stop the One and his mission...by any means necessary. They may make direct attempts to interfere, or they may do it by providing distractions within the Matrix -- war, conflict, disaster, that sort of thing. If the people are distracted enough or worried enough, they're betting they probably won't have time to wonder about the nature of reality, and they won't be unplugged."

"There are rumors of rising exile activity in the Matrix, although we are not sure of the identity of those involved," Collins said. "Some of this may be related to what you're describing."

"So that's why you were so jumpy today," said Smith, thinking about the rather extensive precautions she and her team had taken on their way here.

She gave him a condescending look. "Agents are never 'jumpy'."

"All right, so that's why you were in a state of heightened alertness," Smith replied.

"That's better," she pronounced...but the look in her eyes told him she knew he wasn't being entirely serious. There might be hope for her yet.

"Well, it's good that everything's out in the open now," said the Oracle. "At least with everyone here. It wouldn't be a good idea to tell the people of Zion who their 'savior' is, at least not yet."

"I concur," said Morpheus. The agents were also in agreement.

"I'm extremely relieved to hear you all say that," replied Smith mildly. "So, aside from everybody hating me, either because of who I was or who I am now, I should be all right for a little while?"

"Yes...you should take some time to get used to human life. Get out and have some fun with that new central nervous system of yours."

"Can I ask another question?"

"You just did...but please, go ahead."

"Why the blue eyes?" he asked. "Don't they make it rather obvious that something was done to Neo?"

The Oracle smiled at him. "Ah, but it was supposed to be obvious. People on the outside had to know that something had changed," she said. "And it was also to give you something familiar in the real world."

"I was sure they would give me away out there...and in here, it's my appearance and my voice," he complained.

"Yes. But still, there's nothing wrong with your appearance. It's nice to see you in something other than a suit, and you have to admit that you look very nice in the black jeans and t-shirt. Don't you girls think so?" she asked the three agents sweetly.

The agents looked at the One dubiously, then back at the Oracle, even more dubiously.

Smith just shook his head. "By the way, Morpheus, this is Agent Collins," he said, indicating the most dubious of the three. "And these are Agents Evans and Chapman. They'll be working with us."

"Nice to meet you," he said, and for the first time since he'd arrived, he smiled.

"There, wasn't that easy?" the Oracle asked, with a smile of her own. She placed a plateful of cookies in front of Morpheus. "Now what is it they say? Oh yes -- 'I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.'"

Smith shook his head again. "I think you've seen too many movies," he replied, and took a whole handful of them for himself.

End.


End file.
